Residential Facilities for Disadvantaged Families of Children with Oncologic Diseases
Project location: Italy, Rome
Project start date: September 2013 -
Project end date: October 2014
Project number: 2013-036
Beneficiary: Villaggio SOS di Roma
TIMELINE OF THE PRESENT ACTIVITY REPORT: From 1/09/2013 to 31/08/2014
The SOS Children's Village in Rome is the site of a large residential care facility for children as well as the headquarters of the association Villaggio SOS di Roma Società Coop. Sociale ONLUS.
In collaboration with the Bambin Gesù Hospital for Sick Children, and with the help of the Nando Peretti Foundation, the Village has converted part of its residential structure to provide accomodation for the parents, and close relatives of children receiving treatment in the Hospital's Onco-haematological unit. Treatments are often long, and accomodation in Rome is expensive. This project allows families from outside of the Capital to be close to their children and to reside within the pleasant surroundings of the Village's extensive grounds.
Project results:
No. of families accommodated: 28
Overall person.nights: 2226
Room Utilisation: 73%
The project provides not just accommodation, but a comfortable, well equipped and welcoming home for families who are going through the most tragic and traumatic experience imaginable - the serious illness of a child. The house is physically located within the Children's Village and is surrounded by the Village's playing fields and park land. Guests and their children have full access to the Village's facilities which include the playing fields, outdoor play areas and an indoor gymnasium.
Children receiving hospital treatment benefit from the close presence of their families and are often released from residential hospital treatment to stay with their families at the Village between visits to day clinics at the hospital for treatment.
One of the most pleasing aspects of this project is that these children and their brothers and sisters join with the Village's other resident children, play together and form bonds of friendship in a way that is beneficial to everyone.
